Long-Forgotten Haunted Mansion Effect Episode 4 A New Hope

[WDITrent]

I must say, the staircase scene is the most ingenius change Disney has ever made to an old attraction.

[ghostlyguitarist]

The old WDW Bride at least had green lights that pulsated with her heartbeat, which was a pretty neat effect. I remember it being more subtle than it came across in that video, with the blacklight effects overpowering it just enough. However, memory is a strange thing indeed. When they gave the Bride a face, the effect became more obvious, and looked pretty wonky. Could just be my memory faulting me this time, though, or just how the lights come across in the video (little bright lights are going to overpower an overall UV blacklight glow on tape).

The new scenes at WDW, from the portrait hall through the Grand Staircase, are fantastic. They fit right in, and the effects are just subtle enough to work, and the detail there is on par with the work the original Imagineers did. The new portrait hall in particular feels much more menacing than the original Sinister 11 version did somehow; maybe it's just the lightning in the windows. Maybe it's my overactive imagination!

As a sidenote, that "ghost photo" with the three transparent images of the kid isn't an instant photo; just a standard old photo print that looks to have been mounted. It looks more to me like a long exposure, where he stood in three places; keeping his face still while he moved his body, so it looks transparent. Tell-tale signs - it's the same kid three times, and the background is tremendously blown-out (overexposed). Very easily done. Looks like somebody was just having fun to me, and the ghost story came later :P

-Adam-

[HBG2]

By now you all know that I have developed a peculiar fascination with the mirror across from the coffin in the conservatory. Unique to DL, and contrary to the blueprints, there is no door there.

It's...the door....that.......isn't.......there..... wooowwooooowoooo....

The latest wrinkle was the intriguing possibility that this was being set up for the "girl in the mirror" gag, but they never followed through for some reason.

Something I never expected to find out was whether the mirror-with-table, flanked by portraits, has always been there. It's a blank wall, so who knows, right? I'm always delighted with HM historical trivia, so it was fun to discover that what is there today is essentially unchanged since the HM opened. Or at least since approximately February 1970, which is pretty close.

That's when they probably filmed the infamous Osmonds program featuring the HM. I just noticed that you can see (barely) that mirror set in the program. All four pieces can be seen: mirror, table beneath, portraits on either side.



You only glimpse the edge of the right-side portrait, but you see the left-side one completely. Looks to me like it could be this guy:



Hmmm. Yep, it's him.



That's the same ghoul who was seen in that position "1996-1998" (the date of this photo).



At least since early January, 2003, a different ghoul is hanging there. (I've got another pic, identical to darkfairy's below, that's precisely dated.):




This could be another case of the HMH (2001) altering something that had otherwise been undisturbed since the beginning, but the data are too spotty to be sure. The only thing certain is that the CoD portraits are subject to alteration without notice. By the way, none of them is a picture of a real ghost. Yep, more fake spirit photography, I'm afraid.

[HBG2]

Originally Posted by ghostlyguitarist

As a sidenote, that "ghost photo" with the three transparent images of the kid isn't an instant photo; just a standard old photo print that looks to have been mounted. It looks more to me like a long exposure, where he stood in three places; keeping his face still while he moved his body, so it looks transparent. Tell-tale signs - it's the same kid three times, and the background is tremendously blown-out (overexposed). Very easily done. Looks like somebody was just having fun to me, and the ghost story came later :P

Actually, the look of mountedness (rounded corners, etc.) comes from the book editors, so it's strictly a matter of taking the editors' word for it whether it really is a Polaroid or not. But it doesn't matter. You could produce the photo with a conventional camera in the manner you describe, then just lay it on the table, take a Polaroid snap of it, and voilà.


============


Getting back to the Osmonds glimpse of the CoD walls, the most significant thing about it may be the fact that it's the best evidence (that I have seen, anyway) that those beloved family portraits were an original feature of the HM.

[HBG2]

And......

here's an update on the mystery of the ballroom raven. You'll remember that GRD embarrassed yours truly in T3 by proving that this raven exists:



I responded by citing and posting an abundance of photographic and print evidence that it wasn't there originally, and didn't seem to have appeared until the early 2000's. One of those sources was the 1974 Sandy Duncan special, in which I didn't see it.

Well, it's there. There are three copies of the SD special out there in one locale or another. They're all bad, but they're not equally bad. The raven is indeed there.



So now the history of that AA figure is complicated. Possibly it was there at the beginning, but at any rate it was definitely there by 1974. It got yanked out early enough to have been forgotten by the 90's. It was back in by mid-2002. And that's about as specific as I can get.

[darkfairycthulu]

Originally Posted by HBG2

You only glimpse the edge of the right-side portrait, but you see the left-side one completely. Looks to me like it could be this guy:



Hmmm. Yep, it's him.



That's the same ghoul who was seen in that position "1996-1998" (the date of this photo).



At least since early January, 2003, a different ghoul is hanging there. (I've got another pic, identical to darkfairy's below, that's precisely dated.):




This could be another case of the HMH (2001) altering something that had otherwise been undisturbed since the beginning, but the data are too spotty to be sure. The only thing certain is that the CoD portraits are subject to alteration without notice. By the way, none of them is a picture of a real ghost. Yep, more fake spirit photography, I'm afraid.

That is awesome, and great find spotting our photographic friend in the Osmond special...I've seen it a few times, and never noticed that in the background. It looks like to me, perhaps, like when they added the Hatbox/King portrait, they switched the screamy head portrait to the other side...and whatever was there vanished into regions beyond. The frame is similar, and it's the same style head in my photo, to the left of the mirror...maybe they just moved it over there to make room for the new image.

Interesting about the there-then gone-then back again Raven as well...maybe he was off hanging out with the Ghost Host's missing-returned-then deleted lines.

A few random images from the HM, for fun....found at this blog: Fotoluxx Photography by Harleene Bonales: i want you so bad its driving me mad



And found here: Frederator Studios Blogs | Channel Frederator Blog | Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion, a few Marc Davis character sketches...

[HBG2]

Originally Posted by darkfairycthulu

It looks like to me, perhaps, like when they added the Hatbox/King portrait, they switched the screamy head portrait to the other side...and whatever was there vanished into regions beyond. The frame is similar, and it's the same style head in my photo, to the left of the mirror...maybe they just moved it over there to make room for the new image.

I think you've got them backwards. The ribbon-haired squinty-eyed ghoul in the Osmonds clip is on the left side of the mirror (from the viewer's perspective). Look at the upper left of the screen grab montage. The white triangle on the far left is our ghoul friend, seen over the top of the doombuggy, which blocks most of the view. The mirror is in the middle, and the edge (and only the edge) of the right-hand picture frame is visible. The last of the four screen grabs (lower right) is after they've just about passed the whole set, so only then can you see the left-hand portrait clearly.

It seems to me it could very well be the same one that was there in the late 90's, possibly undisturbed all that time. I've distorted that one (blurring, increasing contrast, etc.), and you can compare it to the Osmonds one and make your own judgment. The fact that you can't see any white matting to the left of the face may be due to the shadow of Mr. Grindley's head.



Another:

[Garfieldo]

Not sure if this is anything new, but...



Full picture:



From the Art of Disney Parks website.

EDIT: I thought it looked familiar. HBG2 posted the exact same picture back in January (albeit it was slightly less green.) Ah well.

[HBG2]

Originally Posted by darkfairycthulu

And found here: Frederator Studios Blogs | Channel Frederator Blog | Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion, a few Marc Davis character sketches...

You didn't need to go to such exotic lengths to find that one; it's been in the History section of Doombuggies.com forever!

DoomBuggies > Explore the history and marvel at the mystery of Disney's Haunted Mansion attractions!

What's curious is that DB.com talks about it as concept art for the attic bride, and at first glance you can understand why. But it's bogus. If you look closely, you'll be hard-pressed to find anything nuptial in either drawing. Granted, the original attic bride owes something to the one on the right, but that drawing is much more directly the basis of the "eyeglasses gal" among the Sinister 11. The one on the left became the lady sitting on top of the hearse in the graveyard, right down to the silly smirk.

[GRD999]

BTW All... I'm still around. Just watching what I post.

Mystery Project is unveiled soon.....

The Ghost Relations Dept.

[aashee]

Originally Posted by GRD999

BTW All... I'm still around. Just watching what I post.

Mystery Project is unveiled soon.....

The Ghost Relations Dept.

Way to give us all chills of anticipation. Can't wait!!

[GRD999]

Thats how I roll.

[darkfairycthulu]

Originally Posted by HBG2

I think you've got them backwards. The ribbon-haired squinty-eyed ghoul in the Osmonds clip is on the left side of the mirror (from the viewer's perspective). Look at the upper left of the screen grab montage. The white triangle on the far left is our ghoul friend, seen over the top of the doombuggy, which blocks most of the view.

Oops, my bad heh....I guess the angle of the doombuggy threw me, or something, seeing as I am used to sitting in one, and not looking at it

Thanks for clarifying, HBG2. What I wouldn't give to be able to see all the random framed photos they have used throughout the years in the CoD...maybe Imagineering has a big box of photos sitting around somewhere...

[Alpoe001]

Originally Posted by HBG2

And......

here's an update on the mystery of the ballroom raven. You'll remember that GRD embarrassed yours truly in T3 by proving that this raven exists:



I responded by citing and posting an abundance of photographic and print evidence that it wasn't there originally, and didn't seem to have appeared until the early 2000's. One of those sources was the 1974 Sandy Duncan special, in which I didn't see it.

Well, it's there. There are three copies of the SD special out there in one locale or another. They're all bad, but they're not equally bad. The raven is indeed there.



So now the history of that AA figure is complicated. Possibly it was there at the beginning, but at any rate it was definitely there by 1974. It got yanked out early enough to have been forgotten by the 90's. It was back in by mid-2002. And that's about as specific as I can get.

the raven has been around since the attraction opened. ive seen it up close... its the ugliest thing I have even seen at Disney... im talking 1 step up from those fleamarket talking parrot toys.

[darkfairycthulu]

Originally Posted by GRD999

BTW All... I'm still around. Just watching what I post.

Mystery Project is unveiled soon.....

The Ghost Relations Dept.

Greatly looking forward to it, with all it's...mystery-ness....